Nespresso teams up with Rio Tinto to make coffee pods greener
Nespresso, part of food giant Nestlé, will become the first company to use responsibly-sourced aluminium to produce its coffee capsules. The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with major metal company Rio Tinto, which will see them work together with Nespresso's capsule manufacturers to fulfill a commitment of sourcing 100% sustainable aluminium by 2020.
The use of Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Certified Aluminium is an important milestone towards reducing the impact that the world’s second most used base metal has on the planet. The ASI sets out standards to promote the protection of biodiversity, respect for indigenous people’s rights, water management and low-carbon emissions during the production of aluminium.
The ASI’s Chain of Custody Standard creates a traceability mechanism, so that end-users like Nespresso can be sure that the aluminium they buy has been manufactured by ASI-Certified producers at each stage of the process. The standard is the first of its kind for any industrial metal.
It's hoped the new deal will encourage other producers and end-users to embrace ASI Certified aluminium to meet the demand from consumers for more sustainable supply chains.
Nespresso CEO Jean-Marc Duvoisin said: “Nespresso is proud to have been a driving force in creating and implementing the ASI. Together we have made responsibly-sourced aluminium a reality, and the ASI traceability mechanism will enable us to meet our commitment to customers to reduce the impact of their consumption. This is a positive step towards creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.”
ASI chief executive officer Fiona Solomon said: “Aluminium is a key part of our daily lives: from cars and planes to cell phones, buildings and food packaging. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive global standard for its responsible sourcing and production. Now companies in the aluminium value chain who wish to demonstrate responsible practices can take the ASI standards forward to their customers, who can, in turn, be confident that this represents the highest environmental, social and governance standards.”
